Imphal, September 15: The chairperson of Imphal Municipal Council who has been in office for only three months has come under fire from Opposition councillors.

The United Councillors' Forum constituted by the Opposition councillors asserted that if the newly elected chairperson and the executive officer are allowed to have their ways any longer, the IMC will soon collapse completely.

Speaking during a press meet today, Opposition leader Ch Joykumar noted that even as they were aware of the wrong doings and corrupt practices in IMC, the Opposition councillors have been seen in the wrong light as those in the helm of affairs continue to indulge in several irregularities and refuse to mend their dealings.

In addition to the inaction of the State Government towards the cease work strike being undertaken by the IMC employees since August 18, the chairperson and the executive officer have been abstaining from doing anything positive resulting in huge piles of garbage and wastes in every corner of Imphal city, observed Joykumar.

On the other hand, the monthly salary of Executive Officer (EO) was fixed at Rs 12,000 in 2000 by the then chairperson but the salary of EO was reduced to Rs 10,000 according to an order issued by MAHUD in 2004.The point here is even though the Government can over rule a decision of the IMC as per the provisions of the Manipur Municipal Council Act 1994, the current EO S Naren gets Rs 12,000 as salary without discharging duty compatible to his pay, alleged the opposition leader.

Moreover, the superintendent has been entrusted the charge of cashier too while the LDC has been doing the works of cashier, Joykumar noted.

On May 10 this year, the State Government provided Rs 44 lakhs to IMC as grant-in-aid which was utilized for payment of two months' salaries of the employees.

Further, the EO did not respond to the call of Chief Secretary twice in August for discussion of IMC issues.

Again when the Chief Secretary summoned the EO for his absence for three days, the EO submitted casual leave report by manipulating the dates of the casual leaves taken, Joykumar said.

Not only that, the chairperson and the EO are still unable to downsizing proposal and additional concrete proposal for grant-in-aid which are being asked by the State Government.

Saying that there were reports of IMC chairperson sanctioning Rs 1.5 lakhs to clean garbage and wastes piling up in Imphal city following the cease work strike by employees, he questioned as to under what capacity the amount of Rs 1.5 lakhs was sanctioned.

He mentioned that the IMC chairperson is empowered to sanction only Rs 10,000 within his capacity and for any amount exceeding Rs 10,000 approval must be sought from the Council.

In fact, the chairperson is following her own whim and is unable to control the EO who in turn has been doing what he feels like in total disregard to all the rules and regulations laid down in the statute book, alleged the opposition leader while cautioning that continuation of the prevailing situation would mean end of the IMC.

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